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Can't get my son to sleep

Clemmie

hi all.  My son isn't diagnosed, we are half way through the process but he really dips into anxiety when there's change happenning and it's worst at bedtime.  So right now, with school about to start again (he's 9) he just cannot get to sleep, it took 2 hours tonight. I have to sit with him every night until he's asleep.  And then he's wakeful in the night and often gets in bed with me.  he wakes early in the morning too, sometimes dashing off to start at one of his 'hobbies' - TV, list writing, cutting paper - at a really early hour.

I try so hard to have a routine, he has a lavender bath, he's got a lava lamp to watch to calm him.....

but he can't cope on a 10pm bedtime, he then has a really bad time at school, although they are very understanding, and his behaviour at home becomes more erratic and difficult to manage.

Anyone got any answers?  Do I just keep him up?  Let him sleep in my bed? is it time to go to the GP? 

Parents

  • Really sorry to hear about your son, I am 49 and had significant problems with insomnia some years ago. Part of mine was fear of not going to sleep, is your son worried about not sleeping ?

    Anothing thing to help, what some people has labelled as "good sleep hygiene". There are many aspects to it. Basically, it is getting your body in to a rythym and gradually relax as you get closer to bed time. Anything that relaxes you, but not something that requires active thought or is paricularly stimulating. One thing that worked for me, was to read something that is boring, listening to classical music.

    I also find if there was lots on my mind, very typical with anxiety, training your mind to focus on a random thought to try and trigger the kind of daydreaming that was discussed on a different topic. 

    Getting up to do something, breaks your sleep pattern. I found this very difficult to sort out. I had to persevere to stay in bed, even if I was awake lying still.

    It may be worth speaking to your GP, but I found most didn't really understand about persistent sleep problem. I found a good one in the end, and with the help of some anxiety medication and very strictly rationed sleeping tablets I have managed over time to sleep much easier. But my sleep problems were more severe than your sons

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  • Really sorry to hear about your son, I am 49 and had significant problems with insomnia some years ago. Part of mine was fear of not going to sleep, is your son worried about not sleeping ?

    Anothing thing to help, what some people has labelled as "good sleep hygiene". There are many aspects to it. Basically, it is getting your body in to a rythym and gradually relax as you get closer to bed time. Anything that relaxes you, but not something that requires active thought or is paricularly stimulating. One thing that worked for me, was to read something that is boring, listening to classical music.

    I also find if there was lots on my mind, very typical with anxiety, training your mind to focus on a random thought to try and trigger the kind of daydreaming that was discussed on a different topic. 

    Getting up to do something, breaks your sleep pattern. I found this very difficult to sort out. I had to persevere to stay in bed, even if I was awake lying still.

    It may be worth speaking to your GP, but I found most didn't really understand about persistent sleep problem. I found a good one in the end, and with the help of some anxiety medication and very strictly rationed sleeping tablets I have managed over time to sleep much easier. But my sleep problems were more severe than your sons

    Random

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